Starting device for vapor apparatus.



P. H. THOMAS. STARTING DEVICE r011 VAPOR AF .nuns,

mmonium FILED my a, 1904.

Patented May 17,1910.

mt-0mm,

, STATES AEni PERCY H. 'rnomns, or mar cannon, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR 'ro coornn Hnwrm ELECTRIC COMPANY, on NEW YORK, N. Y., A GOBPORATION OF NEW Y0.

STARTING DEVIGE FOB VAPOR APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters raisin. Application filed 9, 1804. Serial No. 207,014.

Patented May 1'5, iaio.

Jersey, have invented certain new and use .ful Improvements in Starting Devices for Vapor Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

Iam aware that it has been prdpbsed to start a vapor electric apparatus b the fif".

fects produced .upon a reactance evice by the cutting out or extinguishment or a simi lar apparatus in shunt with the first.

The present invention relates to another method of startin somewhat like that above described, and w ich is applicable to cases for which the other method of starting might prove unsuited.

l have accomplished the result set forth by providing two ci'rcuits within thesame chamber, one the normal operating cisenit of the vapor. lamp or converter, and the other a supplemental circuit having a negative electrode in common with the first named circuit, and having a separate ositive electrode and suchadjustment o the apparatus that the current on being started by any convenient method in the supplemental circuit, will be unable to support itself, and will drop out or be extinguished thereby producing a reactance which starts the current in .the main circuit. In this case, a choke coil is used in the lead of the common negative, and a resistance ,is employed in the lead to the supplemental positive electrode, which'resistance is not included inthe main circuit'through the a paratus. In other words,.the current in e supplemental circuit is cut down to a amperage, and is thereby rendered unstable,

,thus causing the cessation of the current in the supplemental circuit and the starting of the current between the main electrodes.

When an apparatus isconstructed in t 1e manner above described, it is possible to use --for initially breaking down the negative current will be established,'as is now well unelectrode resistance any of the usual methods employed for this purpose. For examfile, I may establish a mechanical contact be: tween the common negative and the supplemental positive electrode and may break this contactby any suitable means, whereupon derstood,-between the common negative electrode and. the supplemental positive elece lectrode' resistance. Under these condi- 0113 8, considerably smaller volta e will be sufiic ent, upon the cutting out out the current n the supplemental circuit, to establish a flow of current through the normal path between the main electrodes.

The invention is illustrat d in the accompanying drawing which shows a vapor up.- paratus having a main positive and a supplemental ositive electrode and a common negative e ectrode.

In the drawing, 1' is a container of glass or other suitable material, and 2 and 3 are respectlyely, the main positive electrode an, the main negative electrode. The suppletrade, thereby breaking down the negativemental positive electrode is shown at e, and

a shunt circuit, 5, is shown as extending from the main circuit leading to the positive electrode; the said shunt circuit including a resistance, 6. In the circuit extending from v the negative elect-rods I show a reacban fl device .7.

The apparatus may be started intoo eration by. ti ting the container 1 so as to ringthe electrodes 3 and 4 into contact and-then tilting the container back a sin so as to break the contact thus establis ed. Current will then flow between the supplemental positive electrode 4 and the main negative electrode 3 through the resistance 6. The

conditions of o oration, thus initiated are," however, unstab e, and the current flow'between the electrodes 4 and'3 will cease aftera very brief period. This often found that a current will be established between the main electrodes 2 and 3,; owing tothefact,

that the ne ative electrode resistance at 3 has already een broken down and the start ing of the apparatus under its normal conditions will then have taken. place.

The exact manner in which the flow of current is established between electrodes 2 the going-out point before the starting" point, as described in the specification, an agitation or expulsion of charge is produced ,in the vacuum which renders easier the start-- ing of the current to the electrode 2. It'may bewell to mention the well-knownifact that whencurgept in a negative electrode of this character is maintained at a value near the going-out point very vigorous action is required of the choke coil used to sustain its low At any rate it is found, in practice, that when such supplementary current, as described, is maintained near the going-out point the starting between the main electrodes is greatly facilitated.

I claim as my invention 1. The method of starting a vapor electric apparatus comprising a hermetically sealed and completely exhaustecl container, an anode and a va'porizable reconstructing cathode therein, which consists in overc0ming the negative electrode starting reluctance separately from the vapor path starting resistance, storing energy externally and utilizing a portion of this stored. energy to overcome the vapor starting resistance through the partial interposition of negative electrode starting reluctance Within the apparatus.

2. The combination with a supply circuit and a vacuum vapor electric aglparatus including a hermetically seals and completely exhausted container, a main anode and a Va orizahle reconstructing cathode therein, o asu plemental anode also therein, connections etween the two anodes and one mam of the source and between the cath- 2' ode and another main of the source and an inductance traversed eythe current 111 both anodes together; with means for controlling assess and remlering unstable the current flowing throu h the supplemental electrode.

8. an a vapor electric apparatus, a main positive. electrode a main negative electrode, an inductance device in series therewith, adapted to supply high potential impulses on unstable current, a supplemental positive electrode, in shunt to themain positive electrode, and means for establishing an initial flow of current between the supplemental positive electrorle and the main negative electrode, the shunt circuit being such that the conditions of flow of current establishecl therein are unstable, whereby on the suclden diminution of current in the said shunt, a flow will he established between the main electrodes. r,

1. The method of starting a' gas or vapor electric ap ,aratus requiring more than the normal v0 tags to establish current flow through the normal path, which consists in utilizin the rise of potential resulting from the ten. ency of an unstable current Within the chamber to drop out for overcoming the resistance of thej apor columns in the normal path.

Signed at New York, in the-county of New York, and State of New York, this eth (lay of May, ii. 1 1904. v v

, PERCY H. THGMAS. Witnesses:

WM. H. CAPEL, G'soaoe H STOCK'BRIDGE. 

